Always Wear Your Platinum Crown

You have dreamt about your engagement ring for years and you most likely have an idea of what you want it to look like.  However, what you may not already know are the benefits of choosing platinum. Platinum is durable and provides the MOST SECURE setting for your diamond – a girl’s best friend.

Let’s take a look at the two components at the top of your ring:

1. The Diamond is the focal point of your engagement ring (you can also choose a colored gem in lieu of a diamond). You select your diamond using the “4Cs” guideline: Cut, Color, Clarity, Carat. The diamond is the most expensive part of your engagement ring, and the 4 C’s will determine its appearance and cost.
2. The Setting refers to the section at the top of the ring that holds your diamond in place with its prongs. If you select a ring made entirely of platinum, then you’ve made the right choice! Platinum is the most secure setting because of its density and durability, so it will protect your diamond and stand the test of time.

What is a Platinum Crown?

A Platinum Crown is an entirely platinum setting that sits on top of an engagement ring and secures the diamond with its prongs.

There are many ways that a Platinum Crown can be created, but one of the most common is by casting.  There are two ways that a Platinum Crown can become part of a ring –

1. It can be part of a “single cast” – the process by which the entire ring, including the crown, is created as a single unit. Nothing has to be assembled once it has been cast, so jewelers will polish it and get it ready to set the diamond.
2. A semi-mount with a peg head of a different metal can be replaced with a platinum crown and affixed to the shank of the ring through soldering or lasering. Durable, die-struck platinum crowns are readily available from findings and component suppliers.

Why Choose to be Crowned in Platinum?

When a customer chooses a Platinum Crown, they protect their diamond from loss or damage and reduce their ring’s cost of maintenance for life. Below are 5 reasons to encourage customers to choose a Platinum Crown:

1. It’s Wear-resistant. A Platinum Crown is significantly more durable than gold. Platinum’s high density and superior wear resistance give a diamond more substantial protection than gold, which can become brittle and prone to cracking and breaking.
2. It Requires Less Maintenance. A Platinum Crown requires far less maintenance than gold over the lifetime of your engagement ring, which means a lower cost-of-ownership. In 10 years’ time, a platinum ring will actually cost approximately 2.5 times less than gold considering the cost of repairing and replating white gold rings.
3. It’s The Most Secure Setting for Gemstones. Platinum has no “metal memory” – meaning that when a jeweler bends a platinum prong to set a diamond, the prong stays in its new place. (While gold has “memory”, so when a bench jeweler tries to bend a gold prong to set a diamond, it has a tendency to snap back to its original position, weakening the prongs over time). When subjected to blunt force or trauma through the course of wear, gold prongs are more likely to crack or break, which may threaten a gemstone’s security.  Platinum may bend from blunt force, but it will not break – holding the gemstone more securely.
4. Patina – It’s Platinum’s Mark of Authenticity – All precious metals scratch, but something very different happens when platinum scratches.  Every time gold scratches, microscopic bits are lost – even from rubbing on your clothing and bedding.  Over time, it wears down and components of a ring will need to be replaced.  When you bump, rub, or scratch platinum, it doesn’t wear away. Over time, those scratches come together and reflect a satiny, matte finish (patina) on the surface of a ring.  This patina is platinum’s mark of authenticity and your customer’s assurance of its superior wear-resistance.
5. It’s Naturally White. Platinum Crowns are naturally white, so they don’t need plating or re-plating and do not reflect color into gemstones.  This means the diamond will shine brighter and whiter than if it is set in white, yellow or rose gold.

Can a customer still be Crowned in Platinum even if they prefer another metal color?

In a word: Yes.

Platinum is the recommended metal of choice for an engagement ring setting. However, if a customer prefers the overall look of yellow or rose gold, they too can (and should) select a design that will accommodate a Platinum Crown for their ring. In fact, because of platinum’s durability and natural white color, Platinum Crowns are commonly affixed to gold engagement ring settings by fine jewelers.

When it comes to engagement rings, always suggest a platinum crown!

When it comes to your engagement ring, always wear your platinum crown!